This is the title I chose for my personal blog, which is meant to give me an outlet for one of my favorite crafts – writing – plus to use an image from my favorite sport, golf.  Out of college, my first job was as a reporter for the Daily Astorian in Astoria, Oregon, and I went on from there to practice writing in all my professional positions, including as press secretary in Washington, D.C. for a Democrat Congressman from Oregon (Les AuCoin), as an Oregon state government manager in Salem and Portland, as press secretary for Oregon’s last Republican governor (Vic Atiyeh), and as a private sector lobbyist.  This blog also allows me to link another favorite pastime – politics and the art of developing public policy – to what I write.  I could have called this blog “Middle Ground,” for that is what I long for in both politics and golf.  The middle ground is often where the best public policy decisions lie.  And it is where you want to be on a golf course.

Amount given to charity?

• PHA Tour/  $3 billion

In fact, the PGA has raised more money for charity than all other professional sports in this country combined.  And, with the 2022 event at Pebble Beach, the total there will surpass the $200 million mark in philanthropic giving since the tournament moved to the area in 1947.  It is the first tournament on the PGA Tour schedule to reach that figure.

As the American Express Tournament prepares for its 64th playing in two months in La Quinta, California, another tradition continued this week when the tournament announced a donation of another $1 million to 37 desert charities.

• LIV/  $0

Say no more.

Well, one more thing.  I agree with various individuals – long-time PGA players Davis Love, Tiger Woods, and Rory McIlroy — who say that the best way to create the possibility for direct negotiations between the PGA Tour and LIV is for Greg Norman to take a hike.

Norman’s antipathy for the PGA Tour is too substantial to allow any room for negotiations.

He is just too controversial and ego-driven to lead any discussions with the Tour.  No one knows what he wants except to remain the center of attention with flamboyant rhetoric.

So, Norman should exit stage left and the Tour and LIV should get about the business of agreeing on the future of golf for the good of the game.